| UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
JAMES E. ROGERS COLLEGE OF LAW |
JULY 29, 2026 | | | |
Greetings,
Many students develop a desire to become lawyers early in life, often without knowing much about the profession. As a professor and now dean, it is a joy to watch that desire bloom into a love of the legal field.
For this week’s featured 2026 graduate, Jazlyn Ortega, that early interest in law deepened during her four years in the BA in Law program.
| | Class of 2026: BA in Law Grad Jazlyn Ortega’s Drive to Build a Career Rooted in Justice | | |
Jazlyn Ortega always knew she wanted to go to law school. What she didn’t know was what spending four years in the University of Arizona’s BA in Law program would do to that conviction.
“It began as a passion ignited by my headstrong personality and strong urge to fight for what I believe to be right, but it has turned into much more,” says Ortega. “While my original inspiration maintains, it is now accompanied by a deep passion for justice and a profound curiosity in the legal framework that creates it.”
The Alamogordo, New Mexico, native graduated this spring with a BA in Law and BA in Political Science, leaving behind the Pre-Law Society, a student organization she co-founded. Now, she plans to work in policy in the nation’s capital before applying to law school.
“The BA in Law program has reinforced the dream I’ve had since I was a little girl—to go to law school. As cliché as it sounds, it has uncovered a love I have for learning that has never been uncovered by another topic before,” says Ortega. “It has also exposed me to the many ways that the law is relevant and important, helping me to realize the plethora of ways that I can contribute to society by pursuing a career in law.”
To learn more about Jazlyn’s student experience and plans for the future, see the full article.
| | Recognizing 2025–26 Faculty and Staff Award Winners | | |
The Student Bar Association presents several awards annually at the end-of-year faculty/staff party. This year, those awards went to:
Administrator of the Year: Ruben Fierros, Director of Admissions
Staff Member of the Year: Ricardo Ruiz, Information Technology Support Analyst
Professor of the Year/John W. Strong Teacher of the Year Award: Barbara Bergman, Director of Advocacy and Professor of Law
Professor of Practice of the Year: Hon. Chuck Harrington, Judge, Arizona Superior Court, Pima County
Community Champion Award: Debbie Martin, Administrative Associate, Legal Writing
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In addition, the dean presents the Leslie F. and Patricia Bell Faculty Service Award to a faculty member of his choice. The Bells created the award to honor outstanding achievement in one or more of: continuing education, community activities, student education or service/contribution to the college and/or legal profession.
This year, Dean Kreag selected William K. Sjostrom, Jr. (Billy), Professor of Law.
Finally, the dean and senior team selects the winner(s) of the Norma J. Kelly Staff Excellence Award recognizing outstanding contributions to the college over the past year, based on nominations from faculty and staff. The 2026 awardees were Marco Montante and Mary Steed.
Congratulations to all, and thanks for your service to the College of Law!
| | Arizona Law Delegation Advances Indigenous Rights at Highest Levels of United Nations | | |
Faculty from the Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy (IPLP) Program led several important events and trainings and participated in high-level consultations with United Nations officials at the most recent convening of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), which took place in New York City this spring.
As part of the UNPFII, IPLP faculty Seánna Howard and Elisa Marchi hosted two official UN side events. Professor Marchi’s panel also included SJD alumnus Q”apaj Conde (SJD ’20).
Professor Heather Whiteman Runs Him took part in the Enhanced Participation process, an ongoing United Nations General Assembly initiative aimed at enhancing and expanding Indigenous peoples’ representation and engagement with the UN by providing them a distinct, elevated status to directly participate and vote in UN meetings. Professor Whiteman Runs Him was one of several experts invited to help inform this important UN initiative.
Our cadre of IPLP faculty were joined by several students: IPLP SJD students Love Ebegboni, David Blanco Gaitan, Kacaw Chiang Chuang, Nnabuife Ezema and Elaine Porokwa; LLM student Joyce Petro Molel; and second-year JD student Loryn Horstmann. According to Ebegboni, “Participating in the UNPFII was an incredibly significant experience that deepened my comprehension of Indigenous advocacy and enhanced my academic and professional growth.”
Several prominent IPLP alumni also attended, including UNPFII members Brenda Gunn (LLM ’06) and Jennifer Tauli-Corpuz (LLM ’07). The UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) also participated in the forum, represented by IPLP LLM alumna and EMRIP Chair Anexa Alfred Cunningham (LLM ’06).
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Do You Have News?
Your success is the college’s success and we want to celebrate with you! If you have landed a new job, received an award or recognition, stepped into a leadership role or have good news in general, let us know.
| | | The BA in Law program helped spur Jazlyn Ortega on to contribute to society. That same sense of service is apparent every day in the LawCat community, from the faculty and staff of the College of Law to the IPLP students, faculty and alumni gathering at the United Nations. | | | | |
